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Galatians 4:3

Footnote:

4

Strong's #G4747. The term "στοιχεῖα" (stoicheia) in the context of ancient Greek texts, is related to "γράμματα" (grammata), which means "letters" or "written characters."

  1. Stoicheia vs. Grammata:

    • "στοιχεῖα" (stoicheia): This term originally referred to elements or fundamental principles and can be translated as "elements" or "letters" in different contexts. In classical texts, it often implies basic components or building blocks, such as letters of the alphabet.
    • "γράμματα" (grammata): This term generally means "letters" in the sense of written characters or individual letters of the alphabet.

  2. Historical and Textual Usage:

    • Diog. Bab. Stoic. 3.213: Refers to a Stoic text where "στοιχεῖα" is differentiated from "γράμματα." This suggests that the Stoics saw a conceptual distinction between fundamental elements (στοιχεῖα) and letters (γράμματα) in their philosophy.
    • Plato’s Theaetetus (Cra. 426d): Plato uses "στοιχεῖα" to denote elements or principles but doesn’t always clearly distinguish it from "γράμματα."
    • Aeneas Tacticus (31.21): Mentions "στοιχεῖα" and specifies that it can refer to letters (particularly, the 24 letters of the Greek alphabet).
    • BGU 959.2 (ii A.D.): Provides an example where "στοιχεῖα" is used in a filing system to denote letters.

  3. Usage in Ancient Texts:

    • ἀκουόμενα στοιχεῖα: Letters that are pronounced.
    • γράμματα and στοιχεῖα: In some texts, these terms are used interchangeably, indicating that "στοιχεῖα" and "γράμματα" could sometimes refer to the same thing—letters of the alphabet.
    • D.T. 630.32: Explicitly identifies "γράμματα" and "στοιχεῖα," showing that in some contexts they were considered the same.

  4. Ordering and Systems:

    • κατὰ στοιχεῖον: Refers to ordering alphabetically or by the sequence of letters.

  5. Confusions and Distinctions:

    • A.D. Synt. 29.1: Shows confusion between "στοιχεῖα" and "γράμματα" in some contexts.
    • Hdn. Gr. ap. Choerob. in Theod. 1.340: Distinguishes between "στοιχεῖα" and "γράμματα."

cf. Logeion στοιχεῖον